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Key Sustainability Terms
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Renewable Energy
Energy that comes from resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat.
Biodiversity
The variety of all life forms on earth, including the different species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the genes they contain, and the ecosystems they form.
Natural Capital
The world's stocks of natural assets which include geology, soil, air, water and all living things.
Carbon Neutral
A state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by balancing emissions of carbon dioxide with its removal or by eliminating emissions from society (the latter is known as a 'carbon-neutral fuel').
Green Technology
Also known as clean tech, green tech, or environmental technology, is the application of environmental science and green chemistry, producing less waste or pollution and consuming less energy, water, and resources.
Climate Change
A long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional and global climates.
Carbon Footprint
The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
A collection of 17 global goals designed to be a 'blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all' set in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and intended to be achieved by the year 2030.
Afforestation
The establishment of a forest or stand of trees (forestation) in an area where there was no previous tree cover.
Desertification
The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture.
Biodegradable
Capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.
Circular Economy
An economic model that involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible.
Energy Efficiency
The goal to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services, which can help alleviate the pressure on natural resources and the environment.
Sustainability
The ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
LEED Certification
Stands for 'Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design'. It is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices globally.
Composting
A natural process of recycling organic material such as leaves and vegetable scraps into a rich soil amendment that gardens are dependent upon.
Ecosystem Services
The benefits provided by ecosystems that contribute to making human life both possible and worth living.
Zero Waste
A set of principles focused on waste prevention that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused. No trash is sent to landfills or incinerators.
Sustainable Agriculture
The production of food, fiber, or other plant or animal products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare.
Ecological Footprint
A measure of how much human activity impacts the earth, taking into account the amount of natural resources consumed and the amount of waste generated.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
A technique to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life, from raw material extraction through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, to disposal or recycling.
Greenhouse Effect
A natural process where certain gases in Earth's atmosphere trap heat, keeping the planet warm enough to sustain life.
Geothermal Energy
Heat energy generated and stored in the Earth. The energy that determines the temperature of matter.
Organic Farming
A method of farming system which primarily aimed at cultivating the land and raising crops in such a way, as to keep the soil alive and in good health by using organic wastes and other biological materials.
Conservation
The care and protection of natural resources so that they can persist for future generations, involving the deliberate act of keeping something harmful from happening.
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